NYC ice cream: The best shops from Morgenstern's to Ample Hills

Butter pecan, rocky road and Salted Crack Caramel are a few of our favorite things.

Whether you're a die-hard vanilla fan or always on the hunt for a new flavor, these ice cream cream parlors won't leave you disappointed.

Scroll through our picks for some of the best city spots to grab a scoop.

Ice & Vice

Photo Credit: Linda Rosier

Creativity rules at Ice & Vice, and if the proof isn't continually flowing through your Instagram feed as one of the small-batch ice creamery's 89,000-plus followers, consider this: five boozy flavors for your summer quenching. And if it's a bit too early in the day for a frosé (raspberry, rosé, rhubarb) or michelada (hops, tomato-lime sorbet), the coffee-based 9AM and Detention Ice Cream sandwich with Mexican-chocolate brownies are safe for all situations. In addition to two storefronts, Ice & Vice is hanging out in Long Island City for the summer at 27-20 Jackson Ave. (221 E. Broadway, Lower East Side; 43rd and Broadway, Times Square; iceandvice.com)

Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream, multiple locations

Photo Credit: Van Leeuwen

Whether you're a fan of its brick-and-mortar shops in Brooklyn and Manhattan, or you've seen one of its yellow trucks around the city, Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream has become a staple for New Yorkers looking for gourmet scoops and pints. In addition to the regular dairy options, it also offers vegan flavors made with cashews, coconuts and cocoa butter in flavors like cookie crumble strawberry jam and salted caramel. (Nine locations, vanleeuwenicecream.com)

Davey's Ice Cream, Brooklyn and Manhattan

Photo Credit: Davey's Ice Cream

Davey's takes a traditional approach to ice cream, pasteurizing and mixing its own ice cream bases in-house using milk and cream from local farms. Though classic American flavors like chocolate, strawberry and pistachio are the main items on the menu, you can also find the Eurocentric Speculoos chocolate chip and Nutella chocolate chunk. (Shops in the East Village, Williamsburg, Chinatown and Greenpoint, daveysicecream.com)

The Original Chinatown Ice Cream Factory, Chinatown

Photo Credit: The Original Chinatown Ice Cream Factory

An unofficial Chinatown landmark, this ice cream shop has been serving up the good stuff for more than 30 years. The family-run business has made a name for itself by churning the American standards -- rocky road, mint chip, coffee and strawberry -- alongside Chinese flavors like egg custard, green tea, lychee and even the legendarily pungent durian. The twist is that the store labels the former as "exotic" and the latter as "regular." (65 Bayard St., chinatownicecreamfactory.com)

Egger’s Ice Cream Parlor, Staten Island

Photo Credit: Egger's Ice Cream Parlor via Facebook

A rare ice cream parlor that's frozen in time, Egger's has been around since 1932. It's changed ownership a few times, but is now run by a longtime employee and her family. Timeless flavors like cookies and cream and butter pecan are favorites, but there's always a few flavors of the month to try, too. (1194 Forest Ave., Westerleigh eggersicecream.com)

Ample Hills Creamery

Photo Credit: Corey Sipkin

The couple behind Ample Hills opened its first location in Prospect Heights in 2011, putting an emphasis on making ice cream slowly by hand. Signature flavors, like Salted Crack Caramel, Ooey Gooey Butter Cake and Snap Mallow Pop!, are distinctly whimsical and chock-full of goodies baked in-house. In addition to scoop shops in Brooklyn, Manhattan and Queens, Ample Hills can be spotted seasonally at Brooklyn Bridge Park and Riis Park Beach Bazaar. And, get a glimpse at the process at the Ample Hills museum, which opened in July. (amplehills.com)

OddFellows Ice Cream Co., East Village, NoHo and Williamsburg

Photo Credit: Katie June Burton

Chef Sam Mason and his partners Mohan and Holiday Kumar whip up small batches of ice cream daily in their Brooklyn kitchen, so no trip to any of OddFellows' three -- with two more in Brooklyn on the way -- locations is the same. Expect some oddball flavors like miso cherry, Thai iced tea and raspberry pink peppercorn sorbet. (175 Kent Ave., Williamsburg; 75 E. Fourth St.; and 55 E. Houston St., Manhattan, oddfellowsnyc.com)

Big Gay Ice Cream, West Village and East Village

Photo Credit: Donny Tsang

Starting with an ice cream truck in June 2009, Big Gay Ice Cream has since become a New York favorite and has expanded to two stores in the city and one in Philadelphia. With treats ranging from the famous chocolate and dulce de leche Salty Pimp cone to the Mermaid Sundae with Key Lime curd, Big Gay Ice Cream has elevated the NYC's soft serve game. Watch out for a third location coming to South Street Seaport this summer. (61 Grove St. and 125 E. 7th St., biggayicecream.com)

Eddie's Sweet Shop, Forest Hills

Photo Credit: Eddie's Sweet Shop via Facebook

This family-run parlor with a classic luncheonette sign on the corner of Metropolitan Avenue and 72nd Road has been a Queens staple for -- well, ever. Famous for ice cream served up in old-fashioned aluminum dishes, egg creams and malted shakes (which are made with an evaporated powder of malted barley, wheat flour and whole milk), Eddie's transports visitors back in time. (105-29 Metropolitan Ave., Queens, facebook.com)

The Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory, DUMBO and Greenpoint

Photo Credit: @thebrooklynicecreamfactory via Instagram

This year-round ice cream joint keeps it simple with small batches of flavors like peaches and cream and butter pecan, plus hot fudge to take your frozen treat to the next level. The original shop is in a converted 1922 landmark fireboat house on the Fulton Ferry Landing Pier, which offers views of the Brooklyn Bridge and the Manhattan skyline. (1 Water St. and 97 Commercial St., Brooklyn, brooklynicecreamfactory.com)

Soft Swerve, Lower East Side

Photo Credit: Soft Swerve

This downtown spot makes one colorful cone-full with soft serve flavors like ube (purple yam) and black sesame. Customize your dessert with toppings like toasted coconut, Fruity Pebbles, marshmallows and freeze-dried strawberries. Or try a "Swerve Special" named after a city landmark or neighborhood. The "Brooklyn Bridge" is made with black sesame ice cream, toffee, mochi and caramel drizzle. (85B Allen St., softswervenyc.com)

Sundaes and Cones, East Village

Photo Credit: Sundaes and Cones

Tasting flavors is encouraged at this East Village ice cream parlor, where flavors range from the basics, like vanilla, to unusual alternatives, like wasabi, corn and tiramisu. Order a cone and take it inside the shop or on a bench outside. (95 E. 10th St., sundaescones.com)

Eggloo, Chinatown and Alphabet City

Photo Credit: Melissa Kravitz

The focus at this specialty dessert shop is really Hong Kong egg waffles, which are made with a sweet egg-based batter that gives them a crispy outside and cake-like texture. But your order comes with scoops or soft serve, in flavors like strawberry cheesecake and lychee rose, inside. Unusual toppings include mochi, Pocky biscuits and condensed milk. (60 Mulberry St. and 147 Ave. A, Manhattan, myeggloo.com)

Il Laboratorio del Gelato, Lower East Side and Greenwich Village

Photo Credit: Il Laboratorio del Gelato

Born as a "lab" where chefs and caterers were encouraged to develop custom flavors for their menus, this ice cream and sorbet shop boasts a growing list of 300 kinds of scoops. (We doubt you'll find another place that's served butternut squash, cheddar cheese and Grape Nuts-flavored gelati.) A window offers a look inside the kitchen where the magic happens. (188 Ludlow St. and 56 University Pl, Manhattan, laboratoriodelgelato.com)

Tipsy Scoop, Kips Bay

Photo Credit: Tipsy Scoop

Handmade ice cream meets hard liquor at this small creamery where the flavors are inspired by classic and modern cocktails. Don't bother bringing the kids: You'll have to be 21+ to order scoops of mango margarita sorbet, cake batter vodka martini and chocolate stout and pretzel. (217 E. 26th St., Manhattan, tipsyscoop.com)